{"id":16052,"date":"2026-03-18T20:09:00","date_gmt":"2026-03-19T00:09:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/gowanuscag.org\/?p=16052"},"modified":"2026-03-30T20:09:59","modified_gmt":"2026-03-31T00:09:59","slug":"minutes-of-the-march-2-2026-meeting-of-the-gowanus-canal-cags-water-quality-technical-committee","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/gowanuscag.org\/index.php\/2026\/03\/18\/minutes-of-the-march-2-2026-meeting-of-the-gowanus-canal-cags-water-quality-technical-committee\/","title":{"rendered":"Minutes of the March 2, 2026 Meeting of the Gowanus Canal CAG&#8217;s Water Quality &#038; Technical Committee"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\" class=\"lead\">Attendees, CAG Members: Joan Salome-Rodriguez (Moderator),&nbsp;Erica Eliason, Corinne Jenner, Katia Kelly, Emily Mitchell, Jason Schwartzman<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Guests: Irene Baker, National Grid; Aaron Kaufman, Gowanus Remediation Trust.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">You can view a <a href=\"https:\/\/us06web.zoom.us\/rec\/share\/kgnS7wBXaWuvkL07haWeU1Xn3hZ_NHjrGIZ-yWND0VflBYnOFiNq4BagCwwjO1IX.6lU3HYFFLajTDbyk\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">video recording of the meeting here<\/a>. Please enter code 7+AkN60k when prompted for access.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Joan shared the outfall map provided by Victoria at EPA at our request.&nbsp;Follow up question \u2013&nbsp;how many of the outfalls are from new construction? Joan replied to ask Victoria, \u201cHow many of those outfalls, if any, are from new construction?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">We also wanted to know what Brian Carr meant by \u201cfirst flush,\u201d \u201csecond flush\u201d when he used those terms at the General CAG meeting when discussing CSO events. Joan wrote him an email to ask.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">What is the objective for the level of clean water once the canal is cleaned?&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Implementation of the remedy will improve the surface water quality of the Canal by controlling and substantially eliminating sheens and preventing contact of the surface water with the contaminated sediment.&nbsp;&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Joan sent emails to Victoria and Natalie covering a few questions \u2013 can CSO be measured at the outfalls with real-time data?&nbsp;Also sent email to DEC and DOH re: flood kits for basement flood testing.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong><span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\">Follow-ups on Action Items<\/span><\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">1. Any acknowledgement from Fagel, Waldron or Smith to our resolution re: dissolved oxygen levels? \u2013&nbsp;<em>Erica reported &#8211; no response<\/em>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">2. What is EPA\u2019s demand for responsible parties to maintain an operation and maintenance plan (OMP) for the Gowanus Canal clean-up strategy? Who will ensure that the OMP is done going forward? Will EPA continue to check that the water quality remains good and that the cap is intact? Does EPA have an OMP Plan? Where is it?&nbsp;<em>Katia&nbsp;followed up on these two questions \u2013 any answer?&nbsp;Not yet<\/em>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">3. To the best of the Committee\u2019s knowledge, neither the DEC nor NYSDOH has ever performed a comprehensive hydrology and hydrographic study for this neighborhood as the Gowanus is in a FEMA flood zone A.&nbsp;According to EPA,&nbsp;DEC is currently completing a Gowanus Canal areawide groundwater study to evaluate the current hydraulic conditions, including groundwater elevations and flow direction. This study was scheduled for completion in late 2024. <em>Joan &amp; Steve &amp; then the entire CAG with an inquiry by Emily Mitchell followed up with Aaron Fischer.&nbsp;Aaron answered.&nbsp;Joan drafted a follow-up for committee review as to whether contaminant sources would be included in the report.&nbsp;So did Jason.&nbsp;I include Jason\u2019s here because it is better.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n<!--more-->\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><em>Aaron, thank you for getting back to us&#8211;we appreciate the update. Assembling a neighborhood-wide picture of groundwater seems to be an important&nbsp;shift from the parcel-by-parcel investigations and reports, and we imagine will&nbsp;help to understand what&#8217;s happening with the different contaminants across the area.&nbsp;<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><em>In fact, we&#8217;re wondering if you or a member of your team would be interested in joining an upcoming Water Quality committee meeting. Even though the study is still underway and the results aren&#8217;t available, we would welcome the opportunity to better understand the objectives of the study, the questions DEC hopes to answer, and how the data may inform future decisions. The committee format is more informal and discussion-based, without the pressures that often accompany a full public meeting. It might also give your team an opportunity to hear early questions from the community that may help inform how the findings are ultimately communicated.&nbsp;<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><em>Let us know if this is possible, and we&#8217;d be happy to coordinate on timing. Thanks again for your update and the work your team is doing.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">This was mine (not as good):<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><em>Hi, Aaron:<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><em>Thank you for getting back to us.&nbsp;&nbsp;<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><em>When does DEC expect its report to be completed?&nbsp; Since NYSDEC has collected groundwater elevations in 2024 and 2025 as well as installed additional monitoring wells in sidewalks and other right of ways in the area to establish long term control points as the monitoring wells on properties are decommissioned and is evaluating the data collected and collecting additional data from monitoring wells during changing seasons and tides to establish trends, will contaminant sources be included in the report?&nbsp;&nbsp;<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><em>Thanks,&nbsp;<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><em>Joan Salome-Rodriguez<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><em>Gowanus Canal CAG &#8211; Water Quality Committee<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">4. How much water are we losing?<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Encroachment into the Canal along the newly installed bulkhead support system along the Whole Foods properties varies from one foot to 10 feet. This encroachment was unavoidable due to the condition of the existing sheet pile bulkhead that was installed at a significant incline. EPA is still considering potential approaches with respect to this encroachment.&nbsp;Right now it seems we are going to lose .81 acres in RTA2, .12 in RTA 1.&nbsp;We will recover .51 acres in TB 1 and under the 3rd&nbsp;Avenue Bridge.&nbsp;&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">As calculated using some estimation \u2013 as not all of the bulkhead designs have been completed &#8211; the bulkhead encroachment totals roughly&nbsp;0.81 acres in RTA2&nbsp;and 0.12 acres in RTA1. The area that will be recovered in turning basin 1 and under the 3rd&nbsp;Avenue bridge is about 0.51 acres.&nbsp;At TB11, encroachment from the bulkhead construction is anticipated due to structural limitations from the former Pathmark building.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><em>What does EPA anticipate will be lost at turning Basin 11?&nbsp;&nbsp;What will we get in return? *It should be noted that the First and Fourth Street Basin were illegally landfilled with EPA \/ NYSDEC failing in their protective duties&#8230;&nbsp;&nbsp;so technically up to&nbsp;<\/em>3.5 acres of habitat restoration<em>&nbsp;would need, legally, to be compensated for. EPA is still reviewing this and we will bring it to the CAG when we have a further response. We have no further response at this point. Erica drafted and Joan sent an email to GRT Aaron Kaufman to follow up.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong><span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\">Sewershed<\/span><\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">We are going to seek information about the CSO tanks \u2013 are they big enough, can there possibly be a third tank (maybe at Public Place if it were to be part of the state Superfund Program and not otherwise developed).<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><em>The rest of the focus of the meeting was the Sewershed in Gowanus and issues likely to arise based on the Governor\u2019s Island, Atlantic Yards, and the BMT project.&nbsp;&nbsp;Can our infrastructure take all that?&nbsp;&nbsp;At the General CAG meeting we were told by EPA that the Atlantic Yards project was taken into account but NOT the Governor\u2019s Island project.&nbsp;&nbsp;We did not ask about BMT.&nbsp;&nbsp;We looked over follow-up questions for various entities, whether EPA, DEC or DEP.&nbsp;&nbsp;Next meeting we will start to craft these inquiries.&nbsp;&nbsp;<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><em>We spent a good deal of the meeting going over a 2019 report prepared for&nbsp;&nbsp;<a href=\"mailto:resilientredhook@gmail.com\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">resilientredhook@gmail.com<\/a>, in November 2019.&nbsp;&nbsp;Jason followed up to summarize the report.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">ChatGPT summary:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>Overview<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">This document (link below)<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><a href=\"https:\/\/drive.google.com\/file\/d\/1U4n8UMGorrZ5VZWnvwCEDXN0McXMO8Sv\/view?ts=692083eb\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Hydrological Ties that Bind Gowanus and Red Hook (1).pdf<\/a>&nbsp;&#8211;&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">outlines a public roundtable hosted by&nbsp;Pioneer Works&nbsp;focused on the interconnected hydrological challenges facing Gowanus and Red Hook in Brooklyn. It frames the discussion around how land use, stormwater infrastructure, and sea level rise link the two neighborhoods \u2014 and how they must plan together for climate resilience.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The program is structured around three main themes:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ol class=\"wp-block-list\" type=\"1\"><li>Land Use &amp; Zoning<\/li><li>Stormwater &amp; Sewage<\/li><li>Flood Protection \/ Sea Level Rise<\/li><\/ol>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>Core Framing Questions<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The roundtable centers on several key issues:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\"><li>What are the current hydrological challenges in Gowanus and Red Hook?<\/li><li>How can the neighborhoods plan together for climate resilience?<\/li><li>How can land use policy support stormwater management and flood protection?<\/li><li>How can communities jointly advocate for policy and infrastructure improvements?<\/li><\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The emphasis is on cross-neighborhood coordination rather than isolated planning.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>1. Land Use &amp; Zoning<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Presented by representatives from Resilient Red Hook and Columbia University\u2019s Center for Resilient Cities and Landscape.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>Key Points<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\"><li>The legacy of 1961 zoning shaped today\u2019s industrial and residential mix.<\/li><li>The Gowanus rezoning will significantly increase development and density.<ul><li>Increased development directly impacts:<\/li><\/ul><ul><li>Stormwater runoff<\/li><\/ul><ul><li>Sewer system capacity<\/li><\/ul><ul><li>Flood vulnerability<\/li><\/ul><\/li><\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>Policy Tension<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The document asks whether the goals of NYC\u2019s Comprehensive Waterfront Plan still align with the realities of:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\"><li>Rapid development<\/li><li>Climate change<\/li><li>Sea level rise<\/li><\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">It suggests zoning and land use policy must integrate water management and flood protection \u2014 not treat them as separate issues.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>2. Stormwater &amp; Sewage<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Presented by the Gowanus Canal Conservancy.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">This section explains how the combined sewer system (CSO system) works and why it is overwhelmed.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>Critical Facts<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\"><li>The area experiences 41 sewer overflows per year.<\/li><li>NYC receives about 44 inches of rain annually.<\/li><li>The combined sewer system only has capacity for 17% of annual rainfall volume.<\/li><\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">This means most heavy rain events cause sewage and stormwater to overflow into the canal.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>Major Infrastructure Issues<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\"><li>Limited system capacity<\/li><li>Additional sewage loads from new development<\/li><li>Constraints at key sewer infrastructure (e.g., Bond-Lorraine sewer)<\/li><\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>Rezoning Impacts<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The Gowanus rezoning introduces:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\"><li>New development<\/li><li>Increased wastewater flows<\/li><li>City capital investments<\/li><li>Developer requirements<\/li><\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">A key proposal is a \u201cNet Zero CSO\u201d requirement \u2014 meaning new development would have to offset its additional sewage impact.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>Policy Pathways Proposed<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\"><li>Citywide waterfront zoning requirements<\/li><li>Creation of an Environmental Special District<ul><li>Local legislation modeled on:<\/li><\/ul><ul><li>Staten Island\u2019s Special Natural Areas District<\/li><\/ul><ul><li>Local Law 56 (Southeast Queens flood mitigation)<\/li><\/ul><\/li><\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The underlying argument: development must include integrated water management, not just density increases.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>3. Flood Protection &amp; Sea Level Rise<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">This section addresses coastal flooding risk in both neighborhoods.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>Red Hook<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The city\u2019s proposed flood barriers are designed for a 10-year storm (a storm with a 10% annual chance of occurring).<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Importantly:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\"><li>Hurricane Sandy&nbsp;exceeded a 100-year storm level.<\/li><li>Officials acknowledged that the proposed barriers would not protect against a Sandy-level event.<\/li><\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">This highlights a significant resilience gap.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>Gowanus<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Materials referenced include studies on storm surge barriers and waterfront greenway resilience projects.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The discussion connects:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\"><li>Coastal surge<\/li><li>Canal flooding<\/li><li>Sewer backflow<\/li><li>Development pressure<\/li><\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>Central Insight<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The document argues that:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Gowanus and Red Hook share hydrological systems and risks.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Water does not respect neighborhood boundaries.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Therefore:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\"><li>Sewer systems<\/li><li>Flood protection<\/li><li>Land use planning<\/li><li>Climate adaptation<\/li><\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">must be approached at the watershed scale, not just parcel-by-parcel or neighborhood-by-neighborhood.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>Overall Themes<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>1. Infrastructure is undersized<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The combined sewer system cannot handle current rainfall, let alone future climate-driven increases.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>2. Development increases risk unless mitigated<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Rezoning without strong environmental requirements worsens:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\"><li>CSOs<\/li><li>Flooding<\/li><li>Water pollution<\/li><\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>3. Existing flood protection is inadequate<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The current plans protect against moderate storms, not major events like Sandy.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>4. Policy reform is necessary<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The document encourages:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\"><li>Integrated water management<\/li><li>Stronger zoning requirements<\/li><li>Local legislative action<\/li><li>Cross-neighborhood collaboration<\/li><\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>Bottom Line<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">This roundtable frames Gowanus and Red Hook as hydrologically intertwined lowlands facing compounded risks from:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\"><li>Climate change<\/li><li>Sea level rise<\/li><li>Aging sewer infrastructure<\/li><li>Rapid redevelopment<\/li><\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The central argument is that land use policy, infrastructure investment, and climate resilience must be planned together at the watershed level, with coordinated community advocacy to ensure long-term protection.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><em>On Page 22 of the report a diagram on the far right shows the link between Bond-Lorraine and RedHook sewers.&nbsp;&nbsp;<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><em>For me, the key questions that arise are:<\/em><em>&nbsp;<\/em><em>what, if any, of this did we get?&nbsp; What, if any, of this is Red Hook getting?&nbsp; Was any agency thinking about Governor&#8217;s Island at the time this was put together?&nbsp; Did they really calculate in the long stalled Atlantic Yards project?&nbsp; How do we get to this information?&nbsp; How can we trust the answers we get?&nbsp;<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><em>Questions we have formulated over the course of a few of our meetings may answer some of these questions.&nbsp;&nbsp;Attached are questions we have formulated so far but not sent.&nbsp;&nbsp;They need work.&nbsp;<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>This inquiry is for either DEC or DEP or both.<\/strong><strong><\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">NYSDEC has primary enforcement and under 6 NYCRR Part 750-2.9(c) would receive reporting from DEP re:&nbsp;&nbsp;capacity at the Owls Head and Red Hook wastewater treatment plants.&nbsp;&nbsp;DEC will continue to assess NYCDEP flow management efforts and reporting for compliance with these provisions, other applicable provisions, and their State Pollution Discharge Elimination System (SPDES) permits.\u201d&nbsp;&nbsp;With regard to the statement that an&nbsp;&#8220;[EPA] official confirmed at a 2022 town hall meeting that the 12-million-gallon tanks (8&amp;4) were&#8230; not designed to address additive CSO effluents from&nbsp;tens of&nbsp;thousands&nbsp;of&nbsp;new residents added to the sewershed by the 2021 Upzoning,&#8221; we now have to look at BMT (since Bond-Lorraine connects to the Red Hook sewer line), Atlantic Yards and Governor\u2019s Island.&nbsp;&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><em>Has there been a re-evaluation taking into consideration the Atlantic Yards, BMT and Governor\u2019s Island developments both as to the sewershed and as to that which will drain into the Canal?&nbsp;&nbsp;By which entity?&nbsp;&nbsp;Can we get that report if there is one?&nbsp;&nbsp;What is the status of the Owl\u2019s Head and Red Hook Pollution Control Plants?&nbsp;&nbsp;Do they have capacity for all this development?<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>This inquiry is for DEP<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Under CSO remedial action August 31, 2016 Unilateral Administrative Order the City will have to clean up any CSO sediment buildup while the tanks are built.&nbsp;Per EPA the City is working on its sewers but had not yet turned to Gowanus as of 2022.&nbsp;<em>We should check the City\u2019s \u201cState of the Sewers\u201d annual report to see if the City has turned to Gowanus yet in general and as to Bond-Lorraine sewer under the Citizen\u2019s site in particular.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>EPA-DEP Questions<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The ROD specifically&nbsp;states:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><em>Current and future high density residential redevelopment along the banks of the canal and&nbsp;<\/em><strong><em>w<\/em><\/strong><strong><em>ithin the<\/em><\/strong><em>&nbsp;<strong>sewershed<\/strong>&nbsp;shall adhere to New York City rules for sewer connection<\/em><em>s (C<\/em><em>hapter&nbsp;<\/em>31&nbsp;<em>of Title&nbsp;<\/em>15&nbsp;<em>of the Rules of the City of New York) and shall be consistent with current New York&nbsp;<\/em><em>c<\/em><em>ity Department of Environmental Protection (<\/em><em>N<\/em><em>YCDEP) criteria and guidelines to ensure that hazardou<\/em><em>s s<\/em><em>ubstances and solids from additional sewage loads do not compromise th<\/em><em>e&nbsp;<\/em><em>e<\/em><em>f<\/em><em>fectivenes<\/em><em>s o<\/em><em>f&nbsp;<\/em><em>t<\/em><em>he perm<\/em><em>a<\/em><em>nent [c<\/em><em>o<\/em><em>mbined sewage overflow (CSO<\/em><em>)<\/em><em>] control measures b<\/em><em>y&nbsp;<\/em><em>exceeding their design capacit<\/em><em>y<\/em><em>. Fo<\/em><em>r&nbsp;<\/em><em>e<\/em><em>xa<\/em><em>mple<\/em><em>,&nbsp;<\/em><em>redevelopment projects will need to take mitigation measures to prevent or offset&nbsp;<\/em><strong><em>additional sewer loadings<\/em><\/strong><em>.&nbsp;<\/em><em>Separated stormwater outfalls will also require engineering controls to ensure that hazardous substances and solids are not discharged to the canal<\/em><em>.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Though the CSO tanks are being built, DEP is, per EPA, monitoring CSOs, by sampling of CSO outfalls during storm events, to measure any long-term changes in CSO discharges and assess whether changes in the watershed are consistent with EPA&#8217;s requirements, as stated above. Where are these reports and what do they show?&nbsp;&nbsp;HAS THE CITY STARTED MEASURING EFFLUENT?<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Attendees, CAG Members: Joan Salome-Rodriguez (Moderator),&nbsp;Erica Eliason, Corinne Jenner, Katia Kelly, Emily Mitchell, Jason Schwartzman Guests: Irene Baker, National Grid; Aaron Kaufman, Gowanus Remediation Trust. You can view a video&#8230;  <a href=\"https:\/\/gowanuscag.org\/index.php\/2026\/03\/18\/minutes-of-the-march-2-2026-meeting-of-the-gowanus-canal-cags-water-quality-technical-committee\/\" class=\"more-link\" title=\"Read Minutes of the March 2, 2026 Meeting of the Gowanus Canal CAG&#8217;s Water Quality &#038; Technical Committee\">Read more &raquo;<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":6,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_jetpack_newsletter_access":"","_jetpack_dont_email_post_to_subs":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_tier_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paywalled_content":false,"_jetpack_feature_clip_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":"","jetpack_publicize_message":"","jetpack_publicize_feature_enabled":true,"jetpack_social_post_already_shared":true,"jetpack_social_options":{"image_generator_settings":{"template":"highway","default_image_id":0,"font":"","enabled":false},"version":2},"jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false},"categories":[96,12,4],"tags":[240,84,73],"class_list":["post-16052","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-committee-meetings","category-frontpage","category-water-quality-technical","tag-hydrology","tag-meeting","tag-water-quality"],"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO plugin v28.7 - https:\/\/yoast.com\/product\/yoast-seo-wordpress\/ -->\n<title>Minutes of the March 2, 2026 Meeting of the Gowanus Canal CAG&#039;s Water Quality &amp; Technical Committee - Gowanus Canal Community Advisory Group<\/title>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/gowanuscag.org\/index.php\/2026\/03\/18\/minutes-of-the-march-2-2026-meeting-of-the-gowanus-canal-cags-water-quality-technical-committee\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"Minutes of the March 2, 2026 Meeting of the Gowanus Canal CAG&#039;s Water Quality &amp; Technical Committee - Gowanus Canal Community Advisory Group\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"Attendees, CAG Members: Joan Salome-Rodriguez (Moderator),&nbsp;Erica Eliason, Corinne Jenner, Katia Kelly, Emily Mitchell, Jason Schwartzman Guests: Irene Baker, National Grid; Aaron Kaufman, Gowanus Remediation Trust. 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